11.26.2014

Willa dedicated this short story to her mom for her birthday. She kindly shared it with her Facebook friends and 228 of those friends Liked it. I loved it.

"I used to want to be a writer.
Every night, I would sit on the kitchen floor while my mom cooked dinner.
I did not know how to spell, but I knew the alphabet.
I wrote the same first sentence of the same story every single night.
'Once upon a time there were a prince and a princess.'
It took me 45 minutes. Every single night.
And every night my mom would spell every word for me in between chopping onions, stirring soups, adding dashes of garlic powder, or steaming broccoli.
She never reminded me that we had started the same story the previous night. That she was tired of that story and wanted me to tell a new one. That she was tired of saying 'princess is just prince with two s's on the end.'
I thought my stories were brilliant and innovative--that one day they would be published. In some small way they were, for my mother published them prominently on her refrigerator door, laundry room wall, and bedside table. I picked up a lot from this nightly ritual.
I still know the alphabet.
I still do my work on the floor.
I still repeat things.
I still do not know what happened to that prince and princess.
I still love to ask my mother questions while she cooks.
And I am still--and always will be--in awe of my mom and the patience and pride she had to spell out the same eleven words for me night after night.
That is motherhood to me. It's spelling it out until your kids learn to spell it out themselves." -Willa Jolink

I got to watch my mom grill veggies, stir mac'n'cheese and pan sear red snapper last night. I'm home for the holidays! And very happy about it. Like Weez, I used to ask my mom questions while she cooked--from the constant "what's for dinner?" to "what's a natural log?" But last night, my mom and dad asked me questions--from "would you like a glass of wine?" to "how's your job?" I guess this means I've learned to spell things out myself.

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My middle name and blogging nom de plume is Bridget. Bridget's Own Diary is my ode to life, complete with daily doses of fashion, music, food and the other bites of life I find noteworthy. Please, pull up a chair and stay awhile.